Volume 9 / Act 4 — SCENE X
Reading edition
Enter SIEGFRIED; as HAGEN notices hint.
HAGEN.
By all the fiends of hell! No! ten times no! It were disgrace for us, and Siegfried thinks Assuredly as I do. Here he comes! Now speak, thou may'st decide it.—
(As DANKWART enters.)
Though thy word Can alter nothing more. The answer's gone.
(To DANKWART.)
Thou surely hast not spared to scourge them well
(To SIEGFRIED.)
Yet set thy seal upon it even so!
SIEGFRIED.
What's this?
HAGEN.
The dogs have come again to sue For peace. I ordered that the worthless knaves With scourges should be driven from the court Before they gave their message.
SIEGFRIED.
'Twas well done!
HAGEN.
The King indeed reproves me, for he thinks We know not what has happened.
SIEGFRIED.
What? Not know? I know! For when a wolf is chased along, He harms not those before him!
HAGEN.
That is true!
SIEGFRIED.
And more than that! Behind them is a horde Of savage tribesmen who will never sow, And yet they want to reap.
HAGEN.
Now do you see?
SIEGFRIED.
But you should show no mercy on the wolf Because he has no time to guard himself.
HAGEN.
We surely shall not.
SIEGFRIED.
Come, we'll help the foxes And drive him to his final hiding place, Within the foxes' bellies.
HAGEN.
That we'll do; Yet let us not exert ourselves in vain, And so—Let's hunt today.
GISELHER.
I will not go.
GERENOT.
Nor will I either.
SIEGFRIED.
You are young and brave, Yet follow not the chase, but bide at home? They would have had to tie me, and the cords I would have gnawed in two. Oh huntsman's joy! If one could only sing it!
HAGEN.
Wilt thou go?
SIEGFRIED.
Go!—Friend, I am so full of rage and wrath That I could quarrel now with any man, And so I long for bloodshed.
HAGEN.
And I too!